Atomfall featuring a post-apocalyptic Lake District(Rebellion)Rebellions new post-apocalyptic survival game is nearly ready for release but does a radioactive Lake District hold the same allure as a bombed out Boston?Unless Bethesda get someone else to make it, it seems very unlikely that well see a new mainline Fallout game until well into the next decade. That seems very strange given the popularity of the Amazon TV show, but there are always alternatives. The fan made Fallout: London, and other similar projects, have proven very popular and while its not necessarily a clone, Rebellions new title Atomfall takes very obvious inspiration from the series.We played the game briefly at Gamescom last year, when we had a long chat with Ben Fisher, Rebellions Associate Head of Design. He explained that while the game was inspired by post-apocalypse survival titles like Fallout, Metro Exodus, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. there is also a big influence from 1950s era British sci-fi, such as The Quatermass Experiment and Day of the Triffids.The game also pays homage to folk horror such as The Wicker Man, which is very obvious in the main artwork and the section of the game we got to play. Were not sure the actual game quite lives up to that confluence of interesting influences but if youre desperate for a new hit of Fallout-adjacent action, then theres certainly plenty of interest in Atomfall.The game is set in an alternative history 1957, where the Windscale nuclear disaster irradiated most of the Lake District and turned it into a mutant-filled wasteland. In the Gamescom demo we saw the remnants of a military presence, trying to maintain order in the village of Wyndham, but this demo started out in the wilds, in an area where the predominant threat is a cult of druids, whose home base is an abandoned castle.Your goal is to find a cure for radiation poisoning, which a local medicine woman is supposed to know although it turns out that the druids have stolen her recipe book and you have to infiltrate the castle to get it back.Rather than a single, contiguous open world the game is split up into a number of smaller areas, although the one we found ourselves in was still quite large and while we could see where we were aiming for on the map, therere no waypoints or objective markers. This means you have to study the layout of roads and cliffs fairly carefully before pencilling in your route and hope theres nothing dangerous in the way, that isnt on the map which there frequently is.Although we did come across a few triffids (which look almost exactly like the original BBC adaptation) and some mutated wasps (which could be fairly easily avoided) almost all the enemies we fought were just human druids, armed with simple melee weapons and bows and arrows. The one exception were some zombie-like creatures that could shoot fireballs from their chest but were inert until we came near them it seemed because they were attached to weirdly glowing fungi, which can be seen in a number of locations, particularly underground.We did get to chat again, briefly, with Fisher at the event, where we admitted that theres still a few things were not sure about with the game, including exactly how difficult it is. Theres definitely a certain amount of Dark Souls to it, especially in the fact that the game doesnt pause when you open the inventory, but while death can come quickly the enemies arent too difficult to deal with if you have a decent weapon (cricket bats work very well) and dont get boxed in.According to Fisher the game is intended to be challenging but there are very granular difficulty settings, including the ability to pause properly, so its very different to Dark Souls in that sense. The punishment for death, at least in the demo, is also very mild. The metal detector comes in very handy (Rebellion)Our main concern though is the games tone and just how weird and/or comedic it gets. Rebellion is happy to reference lots of iconic British media as an influence but that didnt seem to amount to much in what we played.What we wanted to do is make sure theres a kind of internal consistency throughout it, said Fisher. If you look at something like Fallout its much more of a picaresque narrative, where each vignette can have wildly different tones.Given were telling one coherent story there are esoteric characters, that have an odd perspective on the world, but we didnt want to push the suspension of disbelief too much. The Prisoner is one of our main reference points, because there is some interesting tonal range but overall its quite balanced.Anyone thats seen the final episode of The Prisoner will know that doesnt rule out much but on a practical level we were disappointed by both the dialogue and the voice-acting, both of which came across as very basic and lacking in personality. Many of the druids kept repeating variations of the phrase We dont know what you intend, which seems very unnatural and on the nose in terms of what the AI is thinking.Perhaps some of it is placeholder dialogue but the demo was very action-orientated, with only the medicine woman, Mother Jago, being a named character. And while she didnt leave much impression we didnt have much else to judge the games storytelling on.The actual exploration and survival elements are interesting though, with a very limited stamina bar and a heart rate to keep an eye on. Crafting, particularly for potions, is very important and naturally ammo is in very short supply. You can use a metal detector to find more though, which involves following its directions to dig up hidden loot crates, while making sure you dont back into a triffid while youre staring at the ground.More TrendingPotions arent just for health or curing you of afflictions though, as there also seems to be a lot of buffs available, which youre encouraged to quaff before entering battle. Also, about halfway through our playtime we realised we had a book in our inventory that allowed us to be a lot more stealthy once we read it (we assume the developers put it there to make the demo easier), which helped greatly and made creeping around the castle and the village outside a lot of fun.Naturally therere also skill trees, to learn more abilities, although not nearly as many as in a Bethesda title, with Atomfall never describing itself as a role-playing game. There is no doubt it has a lot in common with Fallout though and will certainly scratch a similar but not identical itch for fans. Whether it will do anything better than Bethesdas games we couldnt say at the moment (although it did seem largely bug free) but our greatest hope is that it makes full use of its unusual British setting.Formats: Xbox One*, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S*, PlayStation 5, and PCPublisher: RebellionDeveloper: RebellionRelease Date: March 2025*available on Xbox Game Pass day one The druids castle is not as hard to infiltrate as it first seems (Rebellion)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Take a look at your desk and count the devices. Well assume youre a bit of a techie, so there will be a laptop or desktop computer, a monitor or even 2 monitors, maybe a printer. Also your smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, maybe your earbuds or rechargeable wireless headphones. Maybe your mouse and/or keyboard are also rechargeable. Thats a lot of stuff that needs either an AC outlet or a charging port, and thatsreally a lot of cables and cords.Whatever jury-rigged system of cables and extension cords and adapters can officially be dismissed, because the Anker Charging Station is just $36 at Amazon during a limited-time 40% off deal, and it has plenty of room and 100 watts of juice for all of your devices and peripheralsm, even if you are an uber-techie.See at AmazonAll the PortsThe Anker Charging Station comes in black or white, has a flat AC plug thats even thinner than an Apple Watch at the end of a 5-foot cord to make stashing the connection behind a desk or bookcase or other tight space easy, and takes up a mere 3.15 x 3.15 inch footprint wherever you set it up, and stands only 4 inches tall. Somehow in this amazingly compact body, it packs 9 outlets of charging power 3 AC outlets (think monitor, printer, maybe even a desk lamp), 4 USB-C ports, and 2 USB-A ports.Two of those USB-C ports can rapid-charge your laptop, tablet, or smartphone with 100 dedicated watts when used alone. Thats enough to charge a 14-inch MacBook Pro from 0 to 50% in just 27 minutes. The other 2 USB-C ports are fixed at 15W and the 2 USB-A ports are fixed at 12W, ideal for rechargeable headphones and wearables like your smartwatch and earbuds.Ultimate ProtectionThis elegantly designed minimalist charging station also provides maximum protection for anything you plug into it. The Anker Charging Station has an 8-point safety system to protect your devices and your home, including overcurrent protection, over-temperature control, fire resistance, surge protection, and more. Should a power surge or electrical storm strike, the Anker Charging Station is your bulwark to prevent frying your expensive tech devices, or worse, causing an overload that could potentially start a fire.Amazons 40% off limited-time deal takes this powerful, compact, beautifully and efficiently designed charging station from a very reasonable $60 all the way down to a total steal at just $36. That massive octopus of cables and extensions and adapters thats been driving you insane can become a thing of the past with just one click of the Buy Now button at Amazon.See at Amazon

By Matt Novak Published March 7, 2025 | Comments (0) | Sam Bankman-Fried being interviewed by Tucker Carlson in a show made available on March 6, 2025. Screenshot: Rumble Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced crypto founder whos currently in prison serving a 25-year sentence for fraud, gave an interview to Tucker Carlson that was posted online Thursday where he talked about his interactions with Sean Diddy Combs, denied previous abuse of prescription drugs, and insisted his political contributions had hindered his ability to fight off charges. In arguably the most interesting claim from the interview, Bankman-Fried, often known by his initials SBF, told Carlson that he believes the Democrats didnt save him from prosecution because he also donated money to Republicans, something that didnt really come out publicly until after his company FTX was imploding. Carlson prefaced a question about the political donations by saying that its pretty normal in business for a donor to call anyone hes donating to and ask for help. Did you call Schumer or any of the people you had supported and say, you know, hey, I need your help? Carlson asked. I didnt for multiple reasons, Bankman-Fried replied. One was, you know, I didnt want to do something inappropriate.SBF went on to say he probably had a better relationship with Republicans than Democrats in Washington D.C. at that point, even if that was kind of a secret. SBF only made those contributions to Republicans public in a phone call from jail in 2022. At the end of the day, theres a long story here, involves a law firm that took a pretty unusual and active role in the case, but before I even gave up control of FTX before it was ever filed for bankruptcy, the DOJ had already made up its mind.SBF, who has served about two years of his 25-year sentence, also addressed issues like reports that he and others at FTX were often taking stimulants. The FTX founder denied he was abusing prescription drugs when Carlson asked him about it directly. You seem like you were just flying high on Adderall every time I saw you on TV. You dont seem that way now. Were you? Carlson asked. No, I wasnt, but I was my mind was racing because there were you know, billion things to keep track of, Bankman-Fried said.The disgraced crypto founder went on to suggest he just had a lot on his mind and was trying to keep an eye on developments with his company any time he seemed distracted during an interview. So maybe like the digital world is bad for us? Carlson said. Is that I mean, like, whats your view of that? Youve been taken away from your phone. So thats kind of big.But SBF wasnt ready to completely toss out all of tech. And he clearly was struggling without regular access to his devices. Yeah, but it is I, I prefer having the digital world, Bankman-Fried said. The interview, which is available on Rumble and X, also includes insights into his life in prison and how things can change when you go from a billionaire to a prisoner. SBF, whos 32 years old, says he may not be released until hes in his late 50s. But if he gets sentence reductions, it may be his late 40s, which brings viewers to ask the obvious question: Is this a bid to seek a pardon from President Trump? Who knows, but Trump did pardon the Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. There are no signs that Trump is ready to pardon SBF, and it would surely be unpopular with the presidents base, given the crypto founders history of donating to Democratic causes and the fact that the crypto community largely hates him. But weirder things have happened. And if Bankman-Fried can find a way to make himself sound useful to Trump, theres a chance he could find himself on the outside sooner than hed hoped.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By AJ Dellinger Published February 26, 2025 By Matt Novak Published February 13, 2025 By Matt Novak Published October 8, 2024 By Matt Novak Published September 27, 2024 By Todd Feathers Published September 24, 2024 By Matthew Gault Published September 21, 2024

"We See Difference as a Value and Uniqueness as a Catalyst for Collectivity." Get to Know the Work of BBOA Balparda Brunel Oficina de ArquitecturaSave this picture!Edificio Baigorria. Image Javier Agustn RojasIn recent years, the Argentine architectural field has been shaped by a group of young architects striving to create architecture that responds innovatively to contemporary needs and, above all, to local contexts. Adding their individual perspectives and interests, among them, we can highlight the work of architects Toms Balparda and Fernando Brunel.In 2012, Toms and Fernando founded their office, BBOA Balparda Brunel Oficina de Arquitectura, while finishing their studies at the Faculty of Architecture, Planning, and Design at the National University of Rosario. They started working together as students, gradually transitioning into the professional field. Today, their journey positions them among the key figures in local architecture.Save this picture!In their built work, which primarily focuses on housing at various scales, we see a strong interest in finding opportunities to explore, innovate, and create. Through architectural design, they aim not only to fulfill commissions and meet established requirements but also to generate unique and unrepeatable solutions. Related Article Emerging Architecture: Discover the Work of Five Leading Studios in the City of Crdoba, Argentina Among other awards and recognitions received both in Argentina and internationally, their work was featured in the Argentine Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale, La Casa Infinita, curated by Gerardo Caballero, which showcased representative social housing projects in Argentina. Additionally, they were one of the 13 emerging architecture studios selected to present their work at the Latin American Architecture Biennial held in Pamplona in 2021. Save this picture!We had the opportunity to speak with them and learn more about their work, interests, and perspectives on their own architecture and the region.AD (Paula Pintos): How is the BBOA team structured, and what is your working methodology?BBOA: We are a relatively young office whose structure has been highly flexible from the start. Over time, more than 20 collaborators have been involved in different capacities, with the team fluctuating between just the two of us at times and expanding to 10 members at others. We see this dynamism as a reflection of the ever-changing reality in our country, particularly in relation to the volume of commissions we receive. Currently, our team consists of the two of us (Toms Balparda and Fernando Brunel), two collaborators (Franco Mascetti and Bruno Degiorgio), and an intern (Gianluca Bella).The office's methodology consists of trial-and-error mechanisms, where all possible solutions for a specific commission are tested and explored horizontally by the entire team. The systems or "rules of the game" that later become project guidelines emerge as a result of the exchange with the client and discussions with the team. In general terms, we could say it operates like a testing laboratory, where countless possible outcomes for the same problem are evaluated.The life of the studio is very dynamic, driven not only by the range of commissions we receive but also by changes in the structure of the team. As long-time partners and friends, professional and personal growth constantly intertwine, making it difficult to define a routine.Save this picture!AD: Where do you find inspiration for architecture? What are your resources when designing?BBOA: As a professional office, where carefully considered architectural design is not always a requirement from clients, we find great motivation and satisfaction in proposing architecture within the gray areas of the commissions. The unsolicited response often arises almost intuitively, driven by our conviction that architecture can positively surprise those who experience it. Pushing the boundaries set by the market is a constant challenge in our professional practice. At the same time, the challenge of proposing architecture that equally recognizes all the actors involved in each commission has been a common interest of the office since its inception.Currently, as a creative duo, we are in a process of research and discovery of our architectural identity, where we push the boundaries of our proposals in a freer way, developing a certain project handwriting that draws from personal interests and inspirations. These are collectively tested within the office.AD: Through the narrative of their works, it is evident that they approach architecture with a constant search to break with the established. How does this search unfold?BBOA: From the beginning of the office, the conceptual search has been driven by experimentation, usually within the theme of housing and its various scales. The predominance of uniqueness within the collective and the interstice as a tool to achieve this have become common denominators in our work. We understand society as the sum of individual beings, each with diverse identities, interests, and possibilities. For this reason, we develop ideas that address this condition of community, using architecture as a tool to blur these boundaries.When we explore collective housing systems, the primary intention is to address the concept of the whole without neglecting the individual condition of its inhabitants. The search for variations, options, and possibilities that cater to diversity is fundamental in the development of our proposals. We believe that altering the order of things can generate significant benefits in the pursuit of identity and the uniqueness inherent to a sense of belonging.BBOA: We understand difference as a value, uniqueness as the generator of collectivity, a collectivity that, in turn, recognizes and expresses the context in which we develop our profession, with its own distinct social, cultural, and housing access disparities.AD: Which of your projects do you believe best reflects this search?Save this picture!BBOA: In the Baigorria project, for example, we address the issue of impersonality in collective housing, reflected in the endless repetition of identical units dictated by the basis of the commissiona characteristic that contrasts with the notion of identity we mentioned earlier. Therefore, understanding that the perception and experience of a diverse architectural environment provides the user with a sense of belonging and ownership of the spaces, the proposal seeks to address this imminent need for singularity and individual identity.Without abandoning the base implantation strategy developed by the State Property Administration Agency, a proposal was developed to delve deeper into the projected hypothesis, taking into account the program, orientations, views, green spaces, interstitial spaces, circulations, and access points. The main intention was to achieve greater diversity in the types of units, while always respecting the surface areas and features established by the base.One of the resources used to deepen this search was to separate the vertical circulation cores and incorporate them into the building mass as void cells. In this way, a linear circulation that would cross all the units was avoided, and it allowed both fronts of the apartments to have direct contact with the exterior. Additionally, these void cells, in contact with the city level, served as entrances, creating a visual-functional connection between the street and the interior courtyard of the complex. This optimized the relationship of the building with the urban environment, as the public pedestrian level gained greater control by the users. This volumetric operation was developed by creating a duplex typology that bridges the social floor with the bedroom floor, generating a series of common terraces that act as distributors, perforating the building mass and allowing large amounts of light into the central courtyard.Through the resolution of the different housing typologies and the application of the various considered variables, we achieve the result of a fragment of the city where the inhabitants not only experience a heterogeneous and dynamic urban environment but also where the owners of the units enjoy the same living conditions. Spatial quality is equally addressed in all prototypes, respecting surface areas, room dimensions, and the placement of openings. Ultimately, the aim is to express an architecture that not only benefits the inhabitants of the dwellings but also considers the citizen in the offering of possible urban scenarios, understanding the residential project itself as the construction of a landscape.Save this picture!Save this picture!AD: What are your professional projections for the future? What topics are you interested in researching and developing further?BBOA: As an office that also builds, we find several advantages in promoting our own small-scale developments. We believe that being involved in all the stages of a project allows us to have greater control over the proposed architecture, which in turn opens up the opportunity to explore solutions that are of particular interest to us. This approach seems to be one of the areas we are most interested in strengthening and developing in the near future.On the other hand, personal interests that intertwine with our professional goals drive us to seek opportunities that will allow us to develop our office both in Argentina and abroad. Academic experiences in France, England, and Spain, along with some projects completed in Italy and Russia, inspire us to dream of the possibility of establishing a branch of BBOA overseas.Save this picture!AD: Tell us about your participation in the Latin American Architecture Biennale in Pamplona. Why do you think a biennale of this kind is important?BBOA: The experience of the Latin American Architecture Biennale (BAL) was incredible. The exchange with colleagues from the same generation, coming from different regions of Latin America, was very enriching. We believe that the convergence and juxtaposition of nuances that came together there strengthens all the professionals involved, both the invited and the organizers. The idea of creating a collective of emerging Latin American architects is crucial for fostering networks of contact and exchange, as well as personal and professional relationships that allow us to understand the different contexts and works being carried out across Latin America. We celebrate and support future editions of this biennale from our position, while also encouraging the replication of this exemplary BAL Pamplona model, due to the valuable contribution it makes to the architectural discipline.Save this picture!AD: What recommendations would you give to students and/or those starting out in the profession?BBOA: Our office, like many others, was born in the academic setting as a duo of students, an essence that we believe we have not lost when practicing the profession. While the limits of intervention in professional practice are more rigid, we believe that the initiative to research and explore personal interests when making architecture is always possible, even if it doesn't seem that way at first glance.We understand that the circumstances and situations of students are so varied that it is difficult to recommend, from our perspective, general guidelines that could be universally applied. That being said, we consider it essential for students to have self-awareness about what they find valuable, enjoyable, or interesting within architecture, along with the desire to develop their search when practicing the profession.Save this picture!What is your vision of Latin American architecture and your region's future?BBOA: Throughout the presentations of different colleagues and numerous reflections arising from various debates during the BAL, we identified "scarcity" as a common denominator in the discourse. At times, there is a scarcity of resources, technologies, commissions, and materials, typical of a region with developing countries. However, the contrast with the realities of Spanish colleagues highlights the virtues, advantages, and possibilities that exist in Latin America.In our region, the possibilities of actually building projects are much more attainable than in more developed countries, where regulatory constraints make it much harder to develop the profession. In this regard, we believe that an optimistic view of Latin American architecture, and in our case, Argentine architecture as well, must particularly recognize the potential of what is possible in terms of built architecture.Save this picture!Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorPaula PintosAuthorCite: Pintos, Paula. ""We See Difference as a Value and Uniqueness as a Catalyst for Collectivity." Get to Know the Work of BBOA Balparda Brunel Oficina de Arquitectura" [BBOA - Balparda Brunel Oficina de Arquitectura: "Entendemos la diferencia como un valor, la singularidad como generatriz de colectividad"] 07 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027691/we-see-difference-as-a-value-and-uniqueness-as-a-catalyst-for-collectivit-get-to-know-the-work-of-bboa-balparda-brunel-oficina-de-arquitectura&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Call for Entries: ICONIC AWARDS 2025 Shaping the Future of Architecture, Interior Design, and Product InnovationSponsored ContentSave this picture!Archiv der Avantgarden, "Best of Best" at the ICONIC AWARDS 2024 Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos GmbHIn a world facing resource scarcity, rapid digital transformation, and evolving societal demands, the need for dynamic dialogue between architects, designers, product developers, and manufacturers has never been more crucial. In 2025, the ICONIC AWARDS will take things further with an expanded and refreshed platform that unites architecture, interior design, and product innovationspanning from buildings to furnitureall under one roof. The German Design Council is merging the former "Innovative Architecture" and "Interior Products" awards to create a powerful new stage for visionary ideas and groundbreaking solutions.Save this picture!The new ICONIC AWARDS provide a much-needed platform for exchanging ideas, fostering creativity, and promoting innovative solutions for the future. With five main categories and 42 sub-categories, this expanded platform now provides the largest stage for showcasing pioneering architecture, holistic interior design and cutting-edge products. New categories like Circular Design, Healthcare and Office and Workplace focus on addressing the industry's most pressing challenges, spotlighting solutions that prioritize sustainability, adaptability and forward-thinking design principles.Save this picture!Save this picture!The Power of Collaboration and Knowledge TransferFrom resource-efficient architecture to flexible workspaces and the digitalization of the built environment, the ICONIC AWARDS celebrate the diverse and inventive ways in which the design and architecture communities are responding to today's challenges. It's not just about recognitionit's about fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and unlocking new possibilities that will shape the future of our built environment.Case in point are past ICONIC AWARDS winners, such as Tatiana Bilbao Estudio from Mexico, Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos from Spain, Holzer Kobler Architekturen from Switzerland, interior designers like Esther Brutzkus from Germany, and brands such as sanitaryware expert Roca or leading quality carpet supplier Object Carpet, have consistently demonstrated their commitment to a better, more sustainable future.Save this picture!Save this picture!Join the Community: Celebrate Innovation and Make Meaningful ConnectionsThe awards ceremony will take place on 7 October 2025 at the BMW Welt in Munich and will be accompanied by a unique networking event with expert talks, matchmaking opportunities and presentations of the best of the best projects. This event is a prime opportunity for attendees to network, exchange ideas and form meaningful partnerships within the design and architecture community.Registration is now open for those ready to showcase their innovative projects on a global stage and engage with the industry's leading minds. The deadline for applications is 16 May 2025. For more information on how to apply and to learn more about the distinguished jury, please visit the ICONIC AWARDS website.Save this picture!Save this picture!At a Glance:Start: 4 March 2025 | Early Bird until 28 March 2025 | Registration Deadline: 16 May 2025About the ICONIC AWARDSFor over a decade, the internationally renowned ICONIC AWARDS have been recognising visionary architecture and sustainable solutions. The awards spotlight outstanding projects in urban and landscape concepts, interior design, product development, and innovative materials. They foster exchange among industry leaders and provide new impulses for the future of architecture.Image gallerySee allShow lessCite: "Call for Entries: ICONIC AWARDS 2025 Shaping the Future of Architecture, Interior Design, and Product Innovation" 07 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027490/call-for-entries-iconic-awards-2025-shaping-the-future-of-architecture-interior-design-and-product-innovation&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Ive been fortunate to have a few mentors who influenced the shape of my career at its formative stages. One of those people was Tom Mitchell, who unexpectedly passed away last November at the age of 76.I met Tom in February 1993 on a surprisingly pleasant weather day in Houston when I was interviewing for a product manager role at Compaq Computer Corporation. In those days, product manager candidates were put through an excruciating round of endurance-like interviews (I recall the number being nine or 10) in a single day, with your outcome being determined at the end of the day.Tom was the last examiner during my day-long interview gauntlet. I could tell he was exhausted from other business earlier in the day. But it was a good type of busy as Compaq was in the throes of its second growth ascendancy after announcing its low-cost ProLinea desktop PC lineup in 1992 to take on low-cost PC clones.Despite his fatigue, I was immediately impressed by Toms inquisitive questions about my professional background, knowledge of the PC space, and perhaps most importantly, my interest in making inroads into the consumer PC space, which Compaq had big plans for. Always a what you see is what you get type of guy, we immediately clicked, and it became the start of a remarkable 31-year friendship.Toms Program Management ExpertiseAlthough his career reached senior executive levels at Compaq, and at the latter part of his career, Foxconn/Hon Hai (a key component and eventual PC manufacturer for Compaq), Tom was, first and foremost, the prototypical program manager. He was the best of the best in that department.Few people outside the tech space understand precisely what a program manager does.An excellent program manager at a tech products company seamlessly integrates cross-functional teams, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope and cost budget, and aligned with strategic goals. They excel at balancing technical understanding with business acumen, translating complex requirements into actionable plans.By proactively identifying risks and dependencies, they mitigate potential roadblocks before they escalate. Their strong communication skills foster collaboration across diverse stakeholders, from engineers to executives, ensuring transparency and alignment.Ultimately, they are invaluable because they drive efficiency, clarity, and cohesion, enabling innovation to flourish in fast-paced, dynamic environments and deliver business results.Driving Success at CompaqThese attributes became incredibly critical as Compaqs consumer division grew to multi-billion revenue levels after its first consumer PCs branded Presario were announced in August 1993.From a persona standpoint, those who knew Tom well would describe him as Compaqs own Walter Cronkite non-emotional, data-driven, always doing the right thing, and succinct in his messaging and communications. If Tom told you that aliens had landed on the roof of CCA 5 (one of Compaqs early buildings in Spring, Texas), youd believe him.But Tom was far more than just a great program manager. He was a great leader and manager of people, many of whom would view Tom as a role model or mentor in the latter parts of their careers. Even some great people managers often struggle with establishing personal friendships with their employees due to the risk of crossing the line between the workplace and peoples personal lives. Not Tom. Tom managed the Consumer Division in a co-GM format with fellow Compaq colleague Tony Dowzall and had no problem encouraging (if not participating) in company events that humanized him.In the late 1990s, we announced one of the first consumer desktop PCs with 1394 connectivity (Apple would call it Firewire). This new technology enabled high-speed transfers of large video files between digital video cameras and PCs, a breakthrough that led to PCs and Macs becoming video editing devices something we take for granted in 2025.Tom and Tony agreed to play Dr. Evil and Austin Powers in an inter-company video, showing his lightheartedness and willingness to poke fun at himself. I wish I still had that video footage.Tom knew how to take calculated risks, too.While it seems quaint now, Compaq had an opportunity to work with AMD on announcing a technology demo of the worlds first 1Ghz desktop mini-tower using a liquid-based cooling solution that allowed us to demonstrate Compaqs innovative ethos. While this was simply a demo shown off at CES, it required scarce engineering resources that Tom ensured were available to make this industry-first demo a reality.A Life Built on Family and ValuesBorn in Scotland but spending his formative years growing up in Canada, Tom Mitchell was the consummate family man a devoted father whose greatest joy came from his time with his loving wife, Becky, to whom he was married for 53 wonderful years.Tom and Becky moved so many times during their marriage that she dubbed him a Scottish Gypsy. Still, together, they built a life filled with warmth, laughter, and unwavering support.Tom was a proud father to two daughters, Jackie and Carie. He cherished every moment of their lives and always encouraged them with his wisdom and kindness. His deep love for his family is evident in everything he did, serving as a constant source of strength and inspiration to those closest to him.The Mitchell family (L-R) Carie, Tom, Becky, and JackieOne thing about Tom that always stood out was his humility. He absolutely disdained attention. In a world where sports professionals, business leaders, politicians (and even industry analysts!) crave attention for their accomplishments, Tom let his accomplishments speak for themselves and was happy just playing golf with friends to let off some steam.A Legacy in Technology and BeyondTom joined Compaq during a pivotal era, contributing his vast expertise and visionary thinking to a company reshaping the world of personal computing.His managerial style and unassuming approach were perfect for Compaq as its consumer business grew rapidly. The company had its share of internal critics who were not crazy that it was succeeding in a low-cost business but consuming resources from other divisions. But he navigated through corporate politics with aplomb and grace.A true technologist at heart, Tom possessed an innate curiosity that fueled his passion for innovation. He departed Compaq after its acquisition by HP to join Taiwan-based Foxconn/Hon Hai, where he worked at a senior level to identify new tech categories and solutions for multiple OEMs.Toms ability to foresee trends and adapt to the rapid changes in the IT landscape was unparalleled. He played a critical role in projects that advanced Compaqs position as a leader in the industry, always approaching challenges with a blend of technical acumen and creative problem-solving. Beyond his professional achievements, Tom was revered for his unwavering integrity, generosity, and genuine kindness. He had a unique talent for making complex concepts accessible and fostering an environment of continuous learning and collaboration.His mentorship extended beyond technical guidance; he taught us the importance of resilience, humility, and staying true to ones values amidst competitive industry pressures.Compaq colleagues fondly remember Toms infectious (if dry) sense of humor during team meetings, thoughtful insights during strategic discussions, and an ever-present willingness to lend an ear or offer sage advice. His leadership style was characterized by empathy and respect, empowering those around him to excel and grow professionally and personally.Toms legacy is not confined to the projects he led or the innovations he championed; it lives on in the countless individuals he influenced. His impact resonates in the culture of excellence he helped cultivate, the careers he shaped, and the enduring friendships he formed.In honoring Toms memory, I know people will celebrate his values: a relentless pursuit of knowledge, a commitment to excellence, impeccable family values, and a deep respect and care for those around him.Remembering Toms Humor and WisdomI alluded earlier to Toms dry sense of humor. A prime example: when I completed my final interview at Compaq on that fateful day in Houston in 1993, Tom could tell that I was exhausted and gave me a few words of support. As I was walking out the door of his office, I asked him why so many people complained about the weather in Houston. With a twinkle in his eye, he told me, Mark, youll love it here. The weather in Houston is like this year-round.Tom, you will be missed by many!

Check It Out: https://extensions.blender.org/add-ons/mpfb/ Human Generator: https://blendermarket.com/products/humgen3d?ref=110 Humanity: https://blendermarket.com/products/humanify---one-click-realism?ref=110 Human: Realistic Portrait Creation With Blender: https://blendermarket.com/products/human-realistic-portrait-creation-with-blender?ref=110 Get Premium Blender Addons: https://bit.ly/3jbu8s7 Learn to Animate in Blender: https://bit.ly/3A1NWac Get Character Creator 4 - https://bit.ly/3b16Wcw Get Iclone 8.5 - https://bit.ly/38QDfbb FiberShop - Realtime Hair Tool: https://tinyurl.com/2hd2t5v Big Ref Database: https://bit.ly/3PLtaQ8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Weekly Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3lpfvSm Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/asknk Discord: https://discord.gg/G2kmTjUFGm Twitter: https://bit.ly/3a0tADG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blender Premium Tutorials Blender Tutorials #1: https://bit.ly/3nbfTEu Blender Tutorials #2: https://tinyurl.com/yeyrkreh Learn HardSurface In Blender: https://bit.ly/3E5nP2T 3D Cars Building, Rigging & Animation: https://bit.ly/4h5HXEq Cinematic Car Animation Course: https://bit.ly/3ORFccG Alive! - Animation Course: https://bit.ly/3AEFvyA Human - Realistic Portrait Creation: https://bit.ly/2XvMT1j ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#opensource #blender3d #asknk #blender #b3d #update #art #assets #free #free3d #3dart #3d#free3Dmodels #free3Dresources #freetextures #freematerials #freefriday #premium #b3d #blender3d #free #addons #blenderaddons #new #3dnews #release #update Thumbnail Art:**Artworks used on thumbnails are to support artists who used the principal or third-party tools discussed within the video.** #SupportsArtist

Add cube plus Random Flow combo in Blender.Shops:blendermarket.com/creators/blenderguppygumroad.com/blenderguppyPatreon:patreon.com/blenderguppy#b3d #conceptart #blender3d #blenderaddon #blendermarketing